Display stand

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates generally to display stands for articles to be sold, and more particularly to display stands upon which articles for sale may be mounted in vertically spaced relation. An embodiment of the invention disclosed herein comprises central post means having vertical frame members spaced laterally from and equally distributed about the axis of the post means. Article display panel members extend between adjacent frame members, providing panel sections vertically spaced, so as to assure clear visibility through the stand from one side thereof to the other when articles for display are mounted thereon.

United States Patent Larson 51 Oct. 3, 1972 541 DISPLAY STAND 3,195,7367/1965 Bomar ..211/163 2,941,669 6/1960 Palay ..211/163 x [72] InventorCharles Lawn Steflmg a 982,216 1/1911 Madden ..211/163 x [73] Assignee:Chas. O. Larson C0., Sterling, Ill. 9 [22] Filed, Sept 23 1970 PrimaryExaminerNile C. Byers, Jr.

Appl. No.: 74,767

[52] US. Cl. ..211/78, 248/D1G. 3 [51 lnt. Cl. ..A47g 29/00 [58] Fieldof Search ..211/78, 57, 70, 95, 163; 248/D1G. 3

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,223,247 12/1965 Bleed..211/163 1,718,881 6/1929 Schander ..211/163 2,868,386 l/l959 Seyforth..211/95 3,243,047 3/1966 Witteborg ..21 l/95 X D85,303 10/1931 Peterson..211/78 X Att0rney-Olson, Trexler, Wolters & Bushnell [57] ABSTRACT Thepresent invention relates generally to display stands for articles to besold, and more particularly to display stands upon which articles forsale may be mounted in vertically spaced relation. An embodiment of theinvention disclosed herein comprises central post means having verticalframe members spaced laterally from and equally distributed about theaxis of the post means. Article display panel members extend betweenadjacent frame members, providing panel sections vertically spaced, soas to assure clear visibility through the stand from one side thereofto'the other when articles for display are mounted thereon.

10 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures DISPLAY STAND SUMMARY OF THE-INVENTIONDisplay stands have heretofore been in use for supporting and displayingarticles for sale on the external periphery thereof. One of the problemsincident to the use of such stands, as for example in hardware storeswhere bags of screw fasteners, etc., are displayed along the externalperiphery of a stand, is the inability of the sales personnel to copewith the problem of pilfering. To a certain extent this is due to theinability of the sales personnel to observe the activities of customerslocated at the side .of the stand opposite from the salesperson. It istherefore an important object of the present invention to provide animproved structurally simple, yet sturdy display stand structure whichis so arranged as to assure clear visibility through the stand from oneside thereof to the other when articles for display are mounted thereon.

More specifically, the present invention contemplates a unique andpractical stand arrangement wherein a plurality of article supportingpanel sections are so arranged as to permit unobstructed viewtherethrough from one side to the other.

The present invention has a very practical application in instanceswhere articles for sale are to be displayed along the periphery of astand comprised of a plurality of vertically spaced article displaysections.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing and other objects andadvantages will be more apparent from the following detailed descriptionwhen considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a display stand which is representativeof one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary front view of the stand illustrated in FIG. 1,with portions thereof broken away to disclose parts otherwise hidden;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the line3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view ofa modified form of display standcontemplated by the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the line55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a still further modified form of adisplay stand, the structure of which defines a square when viewed fromthe top; and

FIG. 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the line77 of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings morein detail, wherein like numerals have been employed to designate similarparts throughout the various figures, it will be seen that oneembodiment of a display stand of the type contemplated by the presentinvention is designated generally by the numeral 10 in FIGS. 1-3,inclusive. The display stand 10 includes a suitable base 12 and avertical support or post 14, the lower extremity of which is mountedwithin the base 12. Suitable strut members 16 incline upwardly from thebase 12 and lend lateral rigidity to the post 14.

A plurality of upright frame members 18 uniformly distributed about andlaterally spaced from the post 14 accommodate and support oppositeextremities of display panels 20. The panels 20 shown in FIGS. l-3,inclusive, are slightly arcuate when viewed in plan, and define asubstantially triangular structure. This arcuate disposition of thepanels 20 lends considerable lateral strength. Three of each of thedisplay panels 20 provide a panel section designated generally by thenumeral 22, which is substantially triangular when viewed in plan.Particular attention is directed to the fact that panel sections 22 arevertically spaced sufficiently to constantly maintain clear visibilitytransversely of the stand from one side thereof to the-other. Thus bags24 containing articles for sale may be carried on hooks 26 as clearlyshown in FIG. 1 without completely obstructing the view through thestand. It has been found convenient to employ conventional perforatedfiberboard material for the panel members 20. In the disclosedembodiment, the bottom panel section 22 is rotatably supported upon abearing member 28 through the agency of a plate member 30. Upper displaypanel 22 is rotatably supported upon the upper extremity of the post 14by means of a plate 32'ancl a bearing member 34.

In FIGS. 4 and 5 a modified form of display stand is shown and isdesignated generally by the numeral 100. The display stand 10a, like thepreviously described display stand 10, includes a base 12a and a centralvertical post 14a, steadied at its lower extremity by suitable bracemembers 160. Upright frame members 18a support a plurality of displaypanel sections 22a in proper spaced relation. Each of the display panelsections 22a comprise a pluralityof panel members 20a which, when viewedfrom the top, define a hexagon. Like the previously described displaystand 10, the lower panel section 22a carries a mounting plate 300 andthe upper panel section 22a carries a similar mounting plate 32a. Thepanel sections 22a intermediate the top and bottom sections rely fortheir support entirely upon engagement with the upright frame members18a. The panel sections and upright members are rotatable as a unitabout the axis of the central vertical post member 140. Particularattention is directed to the vertical spacing of the sections 220 whichafford ample unobstructed view across the stand when article bags 24aare on display.

FIGS. 6 and 7 disclose a further modified form of display standdesignated generally by the numeral 10b. It will be noted that thestructural features of the display stand 10b are similar to thepreviously described stands 10 and 10a, the only significant differencebeing that the stand 10b employs four corner posts or frame members 18b,thus enabling the provision of a plurality of vertically spaced panelsections 22b which, when viewed in plan, define a substantially squareshape. To lend additional lateral strength, each of the panel members20b are flexed as clearly illustrated in FIG. 7. Other elements of thestand 10b corresponding with the previously described elements of thestand 10 and 10a are indicated by like numerals bearing the suffix b.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present inventioncontemplates a display stand which is structurally extremely simple, yetrelatively rigid. It makes possible the very practical use of such sheetmaterial as perforated fiberboard and the like, forming display panelsections vertically spaced and capable of supporting articles for salein. such a manner that transverse visibility through the display standis maintained. It will also be noted that the present invention enablesthe production of display stands which, when viewed in plan, define avariety of shapes. In the drawings, a number of polygonal shapes havebeen disclosed. The above described structures may be shipped in knockeddown form, and may be assembled with minimum effort and skill. By use ofthe arcuate or flexed form of panel members, it is possible to spring"them into locking association with the upright frame members. Thisarrangement, as mentioned above, also lends considerable lateralrigidity to the display panel sections and consequently to the entireassembly.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A display stand including vertical, substantially central post means,a mounting for the lower extremity thereof, a plurality of upright framemembers laterally spaced from and substantially equally distributedabout said post means, a plurality of vertically spaced horizontallyelongate article display panel sections extending substantiallyhorizontally between adjacent frame members and having a plurality ofhorizontally and vertically spaced apertures for detachablyaccommodating means such as hooks, for supporting and displayingarticles, and means detachably associated with said panel sections forsupporting and displaying articles for sale, the vertical spacing ofsaid panels being sufficient to afford clear visibility through saidstand from one side thereof to the other when articles are in supportedposition upon said panel.

2. A display stand as set forth in claim 1, wherein the article displaypanels, when viewed in plan, define a polygonal structure.

3'. A display stand as set forth in claim 1 wherein the article displaypanels, when viewed in plan, define a triangularly shaped structure.

4. A display stand as set forth in claim 1 wherein the article displaypanels, when viewed in plan, define a hexagonal structure.

5. A display stand as set forth in claim 1 wherein the article displaypanels, when viewed in plan, substantially define a square shapedstructure.

6. A display stand as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of the articledisplay panels are bowed slightly toward the axis of the vertical postmeans.

7. A display stand as set forth in claim 1 wherein each panel is mountedat opposite extremities in complementary upright frame members.

8. A display stand as set forth in claim 1 wherein the display panelsections are rotatable about the axis of the vertical post means.

9. A display stand as set forth in claim 1 wherein the upper and lowerpanel sections are supported by the vertical post means.

10. A display stand as set forth in claim 1 wherein certain of the panelsections are supported only by the upright frame members and other panelsections are supported by the upright post means.

1. A display stand including vertical, substantially central post means,a mounting for the lower extremity thereof, a plurality of upright framemembers laterally spaced from and substantially equally distributedabout said post means, a plurality of vertically spaced horizontallyelongate article display panel sections extending substantiallyhorizontally between adjacent frame members and having a plurality ofhorizontally and vertically spaced apertures for detachablyaccommodating means such as hooks, for supporting and displayingarticles, and means detachably associated with said panel sections forsupporting and displaying articles for sale, the vertical spacing ofsaid panels being sufficient to afford clear visibility through saidstand from one side thereof to the other when articles are in supportedposition upon said panel.
 2. A display stand as set forth in claim 1,wherein the article display panels, when viewed in plan, define apolygonal structure.
 3. A display stand as set forth in claim 1 whereinthe article display panels, when viewed in plan, define a triangularlyshaped structure.
 4. A display stand as set forth in claim 1 wherein thearticle display panels, when viewed in plan, define a hexagonalstructure.
 5. A display stand as set forth in claim 1 wherein thearticle display panels, when viewed in plan, substantially define asquare shaped structure.
 6. A display stand as set forth in claim 1wherein each of the article display panels are bowed slightly toward theaxis of the vertical post means.
 7. A display stand as set forth inclaim 1 wherein each panel is mounted at opposite extremities incomplementary upright frame members.
 8. A display stand as set forth inclaim 1 wherein the display panel sections are rotatable about the axisof the vertical post means.
 9. A display stand as set forth in claim 1wherein the upper and lower panel sections are supported by the verticalpost means.
 10. A display stand as set forth in claim 1 wherein certainof the panel sections are supported only by the upright frame membersand other panel sections are supported by the upright post means.